Fish and aquatic newshttp://www.aquaticcommunity.com/news
The latest news from below the surfaceThu, 02 Jan 2014 06:59:47 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=3.6.1New Population of Mangarahara Cichlid, Ptychochromis insolitus foundhttp://www.aquaticcommunity.com/news/lib/1489
http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/news/lib/1489#commentsThu, 02 Jan 2014 05:58:10 +0000Williamhttp://www.aquaticcommunity.com/news/?p=1489The Mangarahara cichlid is known as one of the most endangered cichlids in the world. The Zoological Society of London (ZSL) thought that their two males, together with one fish at the Berlin Zoo might be the last 3 in the world. In a hope to try to save this species they reached out to the public and aquarists around […]

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The Mangarahara cichlid is known as one of the most endangered cichlids in the world. The Zoological Society of London (ZSL) thought that their two males, together with one fish at the Berlin Zoo might be the last 3 in the world. In a hope to try to save this species they reached out to the public and aquarists around the world to see if anyone had a female Mangarahara cichlid. They received a suprising reply from a Malagagasy businessman. The man had seen the pictures and contacted the Zoological Society of London to tell them about a small river tributary he knew of where the cichlid was still thriving. The Zoological Society of London sent out an expedition that was very successful. Not only were they able to bring a handful of collected specimens back to be a part of a breeding program but they also succeeded in confirming a breeding population of these fish still left in the wild. The conditions they lived in was however less than ideal for the species and it is unclear if the species will be able to survuve there long term.

All 18 fish collected will be used in a breeding program at a private aquaculture facility. Who knows. With a little luck we might see this “ugly” cichlid starting to trickle into the aquarium hobby in the coming years. There is not doubt that a more widespread distribution among aquarists would be good to help safe guard the species.

]]>http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/news/lib/1489/feed0Two species of African Slender-Snouted Crocodile – Mecistops cataphractushttp://www.aquaticcommunity.com/news/lib/1484
http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/news/lib/1484#commentsThu, 02 Jan 2014 02:40:46 +0000Williamhttp://www.aquaticcommunity.com/news/?p=1484An international team of researchers from the University of Florida and the SFM Safari Gabon have through DNA Testing discovered that the African Slender-Snouted Crocodile ( Mecistops cataphractus) is actually two different species. The team was lead by Dr Austin and was through Field studies and DNS testing able to discover that Central African populations of the slender-snouted crocodile do […]

The team was lead by Dr Austin and was through Field studies and DNS testing able to discover that Central African populations of the slender-snouted crocodile do not share the same genetic or specific physical features as populations in West African. Based on the DNA evidence they think that the two species has been developing independently from each other from a joint ancestor for the last 6.5 – 7.5 million years.

Dr Austin of the University of Florida points out that “The results emphasize how little is known about crocodile biogeography, or how species are distributed geographically over time, in Western and Central Africa”

The discovery is very important from a conservation standpoint. Both species now needs to be protected. Something that is not an easy task in a poor area of Africa where crocodile is a common and popular type of bush meat. The West African slender-snouted crocodile is in especially dire need of protection and breeding projects. It is likely among the 3 or 4 most endangered crocodiles in the world. Successful conservation projects in the past like the one for alligators do however show how quickly crocodiles can rebound if given the protection they need.

Dr Matthew Shirley, has the following to say: “Now that researchers know the West African slender-snouted crocodile is not the same species as its Central African cousin that changes its standing,”

She also goes on to say that: “If we remove them from the ecosystem, then there may be profound effects on fisheries resources in the future,” refering to the crocodlies role as a predator at the top of the food chain in Africa.

]]>http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/news/lib/1484/feed0New Arapaima species -Arapaima leptosoma – Slender Arapaimahttp://www.aquaticcommunity.com/news/lib/1478
http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/news/lib/1478#commentsWed, 23 Oct 2013 11:25:48 +0000Williamhttp://www.aquaticcommunity.com/news/?p=1478A new species of arapaima, Arapaima leptosoma, has been described by Dr. Donald Stewart of the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) at Syracuse University. The new species has been described from specimen that were collected in 2001 near the confluence of the Solimões and Purus rivers in Amazonas State, Brazil. Stewarts discovery brings the total number of […]

]]>A new species of arapaima, Arapaima leptosoma, has been described by Dr. Donald Stewart of the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) at Syracuse University. The new species has been described from specimen that were collected in 2001 near the confluence of the Solimões and Purus rivers in Amazonas State, Brazil. Stewarts discovery brings the total number of Arapaima species up to five .

Dr Donald Stewart with two A. leptosoma

Four species of Arapaima were recognized in the mid-1800s, but in 1868, Albert Günther, a scientist at the British Museum of Natural History, published that those were all one species, Arapaima gigas. Over time, Günther’s view became the prevailing wisdom. Stewart did however look into these four species and it turns out that all four species are distinct different species.

Stewart believes that their might be more species of Arapaima out there. The fish is an appreciated food fish and has become increasingly rare. This combined with the fish large size means that there are few reference specimens out there which makes it easy to overlook a species or two. Stewart made his discovery when he examined preserved arapaima at the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia in Manaus, Brazil.

The new species differ from the other species in several ways including the shape of sensory cavities on the head, a sheath that covers part of the dorsal fin and a distinctive color pattern. Its scientific name, A. leptosoma, is in reference to its slender body.

The Arapaima is becoming a more and more important species in aquaculture and this makes it very important to identify all different species and there natural range. If not, different species might be spread to new areas through aquaculture. Once in a new area fish might escape and what is an endangered species in one area might become an invasive species in another. Threatening the local Arapaima species in the area.

The wild populations of Arapaima is very low in many areas as a result of overfishing. Overfishing of Arapaima has been a problem for almost a century and conservation efforts as well as aquaculture of the fish is likely necessary to save these once common species. The conservation effort will however not be as effective as we might want it to be until all species has been identified.

The new species is most likely already cultured and exported into the aquarium trade but under the name Arapaima gigas. It can be mentioned that the new species already is on display in Europe in the Sevastopol Aquarium, Ukraine. The species has been on display there for a long time as A. gigas but is according to Stewart in fact Arapaima leptosoma.

]]>http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/news/lib/1478/feed0Sea Life London Aquarium weans gourami off Kit Katshttp://www.aquaticcommunity.com/news/lib/1471
http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/news/lib/1471#commentsTue, 09 Aug 2011 02:45:46 +0000Anjahttp://www.aquaticcommunity.com/news/?p=1471When a 4 kilogram pet gourami named Gary was moved to the Sea Life London Aquarium, he went on a hunger strike and refused to eat the fruit given to him. Eventually, the aquarium staff found out why he was shunning the natural diet of a gourami – Gary had been raised on Kit Kats only. “I have never heard […]

]]>When a 4 kilogram pet gourami named Gary was moved to the Sea Life London Aquarium, he went on a hunger strike and refused to eat the fruit given to him. Eventually, the aquarium staff found out why he was shunning the natural diet of a gourami – Gary had been raised on Kit Kats only.

“I have never heard of a fish being fed chocolate, let alone being brought up entirely on the stuff,” says Gary’s handler, Rebecca Carter. “Gouramis usually eat a diet of fruit but Gary doesn’t appear to have suffered any ill effects from his chocolate addiction. However, we would not recommend feeding fish confectionery of any kind.”

The aquarium personnel is now squeezing crushed pieces of Kit Kat into grapes in an effort to change Gary’s diet.

Fish being fed strange or simply suboptimal food by their keepers is unfortunately very common. Even well-intentioned fish keepers sometimes fail to realize that the various fish species in the world have developed to fit into different ecological niches and a diet that is perfect for one species might be highly unsuitable for another. However, keeping fish on a chocolate coated wafer diet is probably quite unusual.

Another problem is of course people getting fish without making the effort to find out how large the little juveniles they see in the fish shop may grow as fully mature adults.

“Many people don’t do the right research when they buy fish and end up unable to care for them,” says Carter. “Catfish are a good example and we have a number here that outgrew their homes. We simply do not have the space to accommodate the vast number of re-homing requests we receive.”

Facts

Gourami are freshwater fish belonging to the family Osphronemidae. Currently, there are roughly 90 described species divided into four subfamilies and about 15 genera. The most famous gourami species is arguably Betta splendens, the Siamese fighting fish. Gourami is native to Asia where they are found from Pakistan to the Malay Archipelago and Korea.

Kit Kat is a chocolate coated wafer confection produced by Nestlé and The Hersey Company. Each bar consists of fingers that can be snapped from the bar one at a time. Each finger is made up of three layers of wafer and an outer layer of chocolate. Kit Kat was invented at Rowntree’s, a confectionery company based in York, UK.

]]>http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/news/lib/1471/feed0Native American tribes strive to save the lampreyhttp://www.aquaticcommunity.com/news/lib/1468
http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/news/lib/1468#commentsSun, 07 Aug 2011 02:38:19 +0000Anjahttp://www.aquaticcommunity.com/news/?p=1468Lamprey used to be an important source of food for Native American tribes living along the northwestern coast of North America, and the fish was once upon a time harvested in ample amounts from rivers throughout the Columbia Basin, from Oregon to Canada. Today, the many hydroelectric dams built in these rivers have turned the fish from staple food to […]

]]>Lamprey used to be an important source of food for Native American tribes living along the northwestern coast of North America, and the fish was once upon a time harvested in ample amounts from rivers throughout the Columbia Basin, from Oregon to Canada.

Today, the many hydroelectric dams built in these rivers have turned the fish from staple food to rarity. Nowadays, it is only harvested from one location – a 40-foot waterfall on the Willamette River between a power plant and a derelict paper mill. There are no dams between the waterfall and the sea, so the lampreys can still get here.

In July, Native Americans from the Umatilla, Warm Springs and Grande Ronde reservations in Oregon, the Yakama reservation in Washington and the Nez Perce reservation in Idaho who wish to continue eating this traditional food gather by the waterfall and manually pick the lampreys from rocks. The tribal elders will then prepare the fish for the community back at the reservations.

Aaron Jackson who heads the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation says the Native American tribes of the Northwest have a special connection to the lamprey. According to legend, the seven gill slits on the side of lamprey’s head marked this fish as a food designated for the region’s tribes by the creator, corresponding to the seven drummers and seven songs of longhouse ceremonies.

While the salmon is receiving billions of dollars in government funds – money used for conservation efforts such as modifying dams and restoring prime salmon habitat – the lamprey is largely being ignored.

Lampreys hatch in freshwater and live in the rivers for many years before swimming downstream to the sea. In the sea, they attach themselves to fish and marine mammals such as whales and sea lions and feed on them. When the lampreys are old enough to breed, they return to the rivers where they die shortly after spawning.

Unfortunately, fish ladders and screens designed for salmon do not work well for the lamprey. Adult lampreys physically resemble eels and lack paired fins, and the species living in this part of the world grow to a length of roughly 2 feet. The fast water and sharp corners of fish ladders designed for salmon are very difficult to traverse for these elongated fishes. Also, young lampreys get stuck on the screens that are put up to keep young salmon safe from turbines.

In 2003, roughly 200,000 lampreys were crossing Bonneville Dam on the Columbia east of Portland. Now, the number has dropped to a mere 20,000 according to Bob Heinith, hydroelectric program coordinator for the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission. Biologists estimate that in the 1970s, the number exceeded 1 million, but that was before accurate counts were taken so it is hard to know for sure what the situation looked like.

Aaron Jackson fears that the dams will lead to a complete eradication of lampreys in the region.

“That’s really sad, that something this old would just wink out in my lifetime — that’s unfathomable to me,” says Jackson.

The tribes are now driving the effort to save the lampreys, and one major hope is of course to improve the dam ladders and screens. Based on an agreement with the tribes, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is currently trying to make the ladders more suitable for lampreys without making them unsuitable for salmon. According to David Clugston, a biologist for the corps, this has proven to be quite difficult. So far, special ramps have been placed at Bonneville Dam and two fish ladders have been modified at other dams.

Simultaneously, the Native American tribes are capturing adult lamprey and releasing them in tributaries. If this experiment works out according to plan, the adult fish will re-establish lamprey populations in these tributaries. The tribes are also consulting experts in Finland on how to build hatcheries for lamprey.

Elmer Crow, who is a tribal elder and vice chairman of the Nez Perce Tribe’s fish and wildlife committee, says restoring lamprey is a vital part of restoring salmon.

“Life is a complete circle. Remember that,” he says. “If you take something out, a few others go with it.”

]]>http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/news/lib/1468/feed0Radioactive strontium-90 found in fish in Vermont, USAhttp://www.aquaticcommunity.com/news/lib/1466
http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/news/lib/1466#commentsSat, 06 Aug 2011 02:37:26 +0000Anjahttp://www.aquaticcommunity.com/news/?p=1466Vermont health officials have found radioactive strontium-90 in a smallmouth bass taken from the Connecticut River. The fish was collected 9 miles upstream from the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant, but William Irwin, the state’s chief radiological health officer, says it’s not certain where the strontium-90 comes from. It might come from the power plant, it might come from the […]

]]>Vermont health officials have found radioactive strontium-90 in a smallmouth bass taken from the Connecticut River.

The fish was collected 9 miles upstream from the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant, but William Irwin, the state’s chief radiological health officer, says it’s not certain where the strontium-90 comes from. It might come from the power plant, it might come from the Chernobyl disaster and it might come from deposits left over from atomic bomb testing carried out in the 1950s and 1960s.

According to Irwin, the strontium-90 is most likely not from the Fukushima disaster since that release of radioactive material took place so recently.

What makes the finding even more intriguing is that the strontium-90 was found in the fleshy, edible part of the fish instead of in the bones.

Strontium

Strontium is an alkaline earth metal chemical element that is highly reactive chemically. Its symbol is Sr and its atomic number is 38. Strontium is. Strontium is soft and looks silvery-white or yellowish until it is exposed to air which makes it yellow. The 90Sr isotope is present in radioactive fallout and has a half-life of 28.90 years. Natural strontium is nonradioactive and nontoxic, but 90Sr is a radioactivity hazard.

Because strontium is so similar to calcium, it is incorporated in the bone of humans and other animals, including fish. This is true for all four stable isotopes, and analyzing which isotope that has been incorporated into a bone can help us determine the region from which the bone hails. It is an important investigative tool for forensic scientists.

Stable forms of strontium are believed to be safe for humans, and the levels found naturally might actually be beneficial since they strengthen our bones. The 90Sr isotope can on the other hand cause various disorders and disease, including bone cancer and leukemia.

]]>http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/news/lib/1466/feed0Gold Nugget pleco and Mango pleco finally described by sciencehttp://www.aquaticcommunity.com/news/lib/1461
http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/news/lib/1461#commentsSat, 30 Jul 2011 16:10:34 +0000Anjahttp://www.aquaticcommunity.com/news/?p=1461Two pleco species from the Xingu River drainage that are popular within the aquarium hobby have finally been scientifically described and given scientific names. The fish known to aquarists as Gold Nugget pleco (L18, L85, L177) is from now on officially named Baryancistrus xanthellus, while the pleco called Mango pleco (L47) has been given the scientific name Baryancistrus chrysolomus. The […]

]]>Two pleco species from the Xingu River drainage that are popular within the aquarium hobby have finally been scientifically described and given scientific names.

The fish known to aquarists as Gold Nugget pleco (L18, L85, L177) is from now on officially named Baryancistrus xanthellus, while the pleco called Mango pleco (L47) has been given the scientific name Baryancistrus chrysolomus.

This is the pleco known to most aquarists as the Golden Nugget pleco, and it has been given three different L-numbers (L18, L85 and L177).

Baryancistrus xanthellus differs from other members of its genus by having a broad light band on the edges of the dorsal and caudal fin in juveniles, a band that turns into a small dot on the tips of these fins as the fish matures into an adult.

The body of Baryancistrus xanthellus is covered in pale spots. You can separate it from B. beggini by looking in its mouth; Baryancistrus xanthellus have more teeth in both the upper and lower jaw than B. beggini.

The authors found congregations of Baryancistrus xanthellus under flat rocks at the bottom in shallow parts of the Xingu River drainage where the water moved rapidly. They analyzed the stomach material and found out that it was chiefly algae.

Baryancistrus chrysolomus (Mango pleco)

This fish is known in the aquarium trade as Mango pleco and has the L-number L47. The scientific name, Baryancistrus chrysolomus, alludes to its yellow fin margins (chrysos and loma are the Greek words for yellow and border, respectively).

Just like B. xanthellus,Baryancistrus chrysolomus sports a broad orange to yellow band along the entire outer margin of the dorsal and caudal fins. This feature distinguishes B. xanthellus andB. chrysolomus from all other described members of the genus Baryancistrus.

To separate Baryancistrus chrysolomus from B. xanthellus, look for spots on the body. If there are no clear spots on the body, it is not a B. xanthellus.

The scientists encountered Baryancistrus chrysolomus under rocks at the bottom of the river in stretches where the water flow was slow to moderate. The fish fed by scraping algae from the rocks.

For more information on these two newly described species of pleco, see the paper: Py-Daniel, LR, J Zuanon and RR de Oliveira (2011) Two new ornamental loricariid catfishes of Baryancistrus from rio Xingu drainage (Siluriformes: Hypostominae). Neotropical Ichthyology 9, pp. 241–252.

]]>http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/news/lib/1461/feed0Will grey seals counteract cod recovery in the Baltic Sea?http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/news/lib/1457
http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/news/lib/1457#commentsThu, 28 Jul 2011 16:06:21 +0000Anjahttp://www.aquaticcommunity.com/news/?p=1457Grey seals and cod used to be found in great abundance throughout the Baltic Sea, but today the seals are chiefly present in the northern parts of the sea while the cod is found in the south. Management programs are working on increasing the number of both species and this will likely cause predator and prey to once again inhabit […]

]]>Grey seals and cod used to be found in great abundance throughout the Baltic Sea, but today the seals are chiefly present in the northern parts of the sea while the cod is found in the south.

Management programs are working on increasing the number of both species and this will likely cause predator and prey to once again inhabit the same region.

“Since the grey seal and cod populations could overlap in the future, we investigated whether the management plans to re-establish the populations of cod and grey seals are contradictory since there is a chance that the grey seals can harm the cod stocks as happened in the 1920-30s. Although, back then the grey seal population was much larger than it is now,” says Professor Brian MacKenzie from the National Institute of Aquatic Resources (DTU* Aqua) in Denmark (www.aqua.dtu.dk/English.aspx). DTU is the Technical University of Denmark.

Together with Margit Eero (also from DTU Aqua) and Henn Ojaveer from the Estonian Marine Institute (http://www.sea.ee/en/), MacKenzie has conducted a study where they conclude that fisheries and climate change will affect the cod much more than the grey seals. The study has been published in the scientific journal PloS ONE.

About a decade ago, over fishing, oxygen scarcity and decreased salinity cause the cod populations in the Baltic Sea to plummet to record low levels. The amount of cod is now gradually increasing again, chiefly thanks to a strict fishing management plan and a few good years of cod reproduction.

“The environmental conditions of the Baltic Sea are still not perfect, but fishing levels are low at the moment, giving the cod a chance to rebuild the population. This has given rise to an increase in cod numbers during the last four to five years,” MacKenzie explains.

Since grey seals have effected the cod populations in the past, the team of Danish-Estonian scientists wanted to take a closer look at how they may affect a slowly recuperating cod population.

“Historically, seals have affected cod stocks, and in many areas they are suspected of being the reason why the recovery of cod stocks has been delayed. Therefore, it was important to determine whether the grey seals could pose a threat to the cod stock in the Baltic Sea,” says MacKenzie.

In order to investigate how grey seals in the Baltic Sea could effect the cod, the researchers made a number of simulations of future scenarios – scenarios that also factored in commercial fishing and climate change. If climate change makes the climate warmer, the salinity of the Baltic Sea would decrease and this would affect the reproductive capacity of the cod. The cod would still reproduce, but the mortality rate for eggs and larvae would be higher.

“If the Baltic Sea experiences lower salinity due to climate change, the cod stocks will most likely suffer because the cod will have difficulty reproducing. Furthermore, there will be predation by grey seals. These two ecosystem issues can greatly affect the cod stock so this is why we wanted to find out how large these impacts might be in order to regulate fishing levels accordingly,” says MacKenzie. “Our results show, that fishing and environmental factors like oxygen depletion and decreasing salinity will affect the cod population more than the grey seals in the years to come.”

According to the study, it would be possible to simultaneously increase numbers of cod and grey seals in the Baltic Sea.

]]>http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/news/lib/1457/feed0Hilton stops serving sailfish and marlin in Costa Ricahttp://www.aquaticcommunity.com/news/lib/1455
http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/news/lib/1455#commentsTue, 26 Jul 2011 16:03:28 +0000Anjahttp://www.aquaticcommunity.com/news/?p=1455Four Hilton Worldwide hotels in Costa Rica have pledged to stop serving sailfish and marlin after entering into an agreement with the Billfish Foundation (TBF) and the Costa Rica Sport Fishing Federation (FECOPT). Last year, TBF released a study showing the significant economic value of sportfishing tourism in Costa Rica, and the four hotels are now taking billfish from the […]

]]>Four Hilton Worldwide hotels in Costa Rica have pledged to stop serving sailfish and marlin after entering into an agreement with the Billfish Foundation (TBF) and the Costa Rica Sport Fishing Federation (FECOPT).

Last year, TBF released a study showing the significant economic value of sportfishing tourism in Costa Rica, and the four hotels are now taking billfish from the menu in an effort to promote responsible and soustainable tourism.

The four hotels that will no longer be serving billfish are these:

DoubleTree Resort by Hilton Costa Rica in Puntarenas

DoubleTree Cariari by Hilton San Jose

Hilton Papagayo Costa Rica Resort and Spa in the in the Guanacaste region

Hilton Garden Inn Liberia Airport

“The participating Hilton Worldwide hotels in Costa Rica are leading the way for Costa Rica’s tourism industry to move toward new levels of support for sportfishing conservation practices,” says FECOPT’s Executive Director Enrique Ramirez. “Using the impetus of our agreement with the participating properties we look forward to partnering with sustainable tourism tour leader Horizontes to let this precedent spread across the nation’s tourism industry.”

TBF President Ellen Peel applauded the agreement as a new standard for voluntary conservation action in the private sector.

“We’re very pleased to see tourism businesses and government tourism officials responding so positively to the facts and information presented by our socio-economic research conducted with the University of Costa Rica that clearly supports TBF’s message that good conservation can be good economics.

TBF is the only non-profit organization focused entirely on conserving billfish populations. Established 25 years ago, it has been working with governments and the private sector to protect billfish from overfishing by fisheries and to implement tag and release programs for sport fishers. In addition to Costa Rica, TBF is active in countries such as Mexico, Panama and Peru.

“TBF is proud of the efforts by Enrique Ramirez who secured the participation of the four participating Hilton Worldwide properties in Costa Rica and explained the conservation and business benefits of the world’s sportfishing tourists, reaffirming Costa Rica’s stature as one of the world’s premier fishing destinations,” says TBF Chief Scientist Dr. Russell Nelson. “We specially appreciate the foresight of the general managers at the participating Hilton Worldwide hotels in Costa Rica – Ricardo Rodriguez Gil, Laura Castagnini and Rui Dominguez – that supporting sportfishing conservation efforts are good for the oceans and good for business as well.”

Bill fish

The term billfish is used for a number of large, predatory fish equipped with long, sword-like bills that they use to stun prey. The group includes sailfish, marlin and swordfish. Billfish are important apex predators in the ecosystems where they exist. The richest abundance of billfish is found in the tropics and subtropics, but they do occur in temperate waters as well, especially the swordfish.

]]>http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/news/lib/1455/feed0China Releases 1.3 Billion Fish into Yangtze Riverhttp://www.aquaticcommunity.com/news/lib/1452
http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/news/lib/1452#commentsSun, 24 Jul 2011 16:03:16 +0000Anjahttp://www.aquaticcommunity.com/news/?p=1452Last week, 1.3 billion fish were released into the Yangtze River by the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture (MOA). The release took place in the provinces of Jiangxi, Hubei, Hunan, Anhui and Jiangsu in the middle and lower reaches of the river. The release is a part of a project that the authorities hope will help restore fishery resources after the […]

]]>Last week, 1.3 billion fish were released into the Yangtze River by the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture (MOA). The release took place in the provinces of Jiangxi, Hubei, Hunan, Anhui and Jiangsu in the middle and lower reaches of the river.

The release is a part of a project that the authorities hope will help restore fishery resources after the recent drought. 9,000 hectares of the river will be planted with aquatic weeds, and 21 million shellfish will also be released into the water. Examples of fish species that were included in the recent release are black carp, grass carp and bighead carp.

The drought has also affected Chinese lakes, and 100 million fish have been released in nine lakes in China’s Anhui Province. According to an estimated from Anhui Fishery Bureau, the drought caused a loss of 148 000 metric tons of fish in the province.

In the Hubei Province, the Honghu Lake – which is the largest lake in the province – decreased down to 12.6 percent (4,475 hectares) of its normal size during the drought according to sources within the Jingzhou Aquatic Products Bureau. 300 million fish have now been released into a total of 34 lakes.

The Yangtze River

The Yangtze River is the longest river in Asia and the third longest river in the world; only the Nile and the Amazon are longer. During recent years, the Yangtze River has suffered from severe industrial pollution coupled with siltation and agricultural run-off. Loss of wetland and lakes has amplified the problems and exacerbated seasonal flooding. Some parts of the river are now protected as nature reserves.